Mixing vocal track after vocal track after vocal track

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Posted by DannyO on Mar-13-2004 04:19:

Mixing vocal track after vocal track after vocal track

Just wondering what everyone thinks about mixes that nearly every track in the list has vocals, I'm not talking about small choruses, I'm talking full vocals, I personal try and keep vocals down to a minimum, throwing them in now and then, I personally don't like to many vocals, but just wondering what everyone else thinks, I've heard many DJs say it makes the mix sound cheesey and desperate, like the DJ is trying to hard to get everyone going, so please say what you prefer and why.

Posted by Salem on Mar-13-2004 04:27:

I think one vocal is essential to a mix, but not more than one, gets to cheezey for my liking

Posted by Boomer187 on Mar-13-2004 05:13:

im the opposite. I think I only play one record without vocals.

I like the sound of a song with some vocals in it, I think it adds something to a song.

I do love songs without vocals, but a lot lack something in my eyes.

but ti all depends on your style.

Posted by Floorfiller on Mar-13-2004 05:24:

i sure as hell wouldn't just play all vocal tracks...i think that i would prefer tunes with vocal samples over full on vocals too...unless its a sweet ass tune...most full on vocal tunes nowadays blow...

Posted by Salem on Mar-13-2004 05:29:

quote:
Originally posted by Floorfiller
i sure as hell wouldn't just play all vocal tracks...i think that i would prefer tunes with vocal samples over full on vocals too...unless its a sweet ass tune...most full on vocal tunes nowadays blow...

Floorfiller knows the score

Posted by Spang on Mar-13-2004 23:34:

Depends on the track. Just because it has vocals doesnt make it cheesy. Some vocals make the track more than it is.

I would never mix vocal track after vocal track because each track should be like a story of sorts and each track tells a different story in its vocals. If anything i might do vocal track, instrumental then back to vocals, but i also try to keep it down to about 3 per 10 tracks at most.

Posted by xCxStylex on Mar-14-2004 02:13:

I'm a vocal/cheese trance whore.

My sets are like half vocal, sometimes more

It all depends on who you're playing for, the crowd or yourself. If the crowd likes it, it's all good. I play for myself, and I like what I spin

Posted by Tranc3 on Mar-14-2004 03:11:

I prefer pieces over songs, as then the focal point of the track has to be perfected by the synth programmer and the composer. On the whole I find songs to rely too heavily on the vocals, whereas pieces tend to be standouts on their own.

Posted by Briden on Mar-14-2004 03:35:

pieces? you mean just parts of songs?

Posted by auujay on Mar-14-2004 07:30:

quote:
Originally posted by Briden
pieces? you mean just parts of songs?

I believe he is using the term peices because if a track has no vocals it is not really a "song". I find that calling them tunes or tracks sounds fine and is still correct when there are no vocals.

Posted by seven.dj on Mar-14-2004 14:09:

I try to keep a kind of compromise between all my vocals and non vocal tracks. I think its almost necessary to mix it up, throw in different shit into your set. To me mixing all or mostly vocals is comporable to mixing all or mostly anthems. It just gets boring after a while.
As for making or breaking the track, I agree, some tracks do so much better with vocals. I looked for gouryella's walhalla on vinyl for so long, once i finally got it off ebay and it got to me I realized it didnt have the vocals (it was a repress). I was pissed! For me the vocals (though not too many which makes it perfect) makes the track, I almost dont even wanna spin it without them.
A mix should be a mix, a mix should be different kinds of music. You gotta switch it up somewheres

Posted by razzi on Mar-14-2004 17:11:

i usually drop about 2 full on vocal songs in an hour set? maybe less too.. i am all about the non vocal tracks (with vocal samples though).. also, sometimes a bunch of non vocals can really build up and then just let it all explode with an amazing vocal track to get the crowd going.

Posted by Breeze on Mar-14-2004 17:54:

Posted by DJ Kibon on Mar-14-2004 22:27:

quote:
Originally posted by xCxStylex
I'm a vocal/cheese trance whore.

My sets are like half vocal, sometimes more

It all depends on who you're playing for, the crowd or yourself. If the crowd likes it, it's all good. I play for myself, and I like what I spin

I gotta go with xCxStylex on this one.

I tend to play quite a few vocal tracks in my trance sets. I usually avoid buying the really cheesey crappy vocal stuff, but I have quite a few good tracks that have both energy and female vocals.

This would really depend on the genre though - vocals are generally a big aspect of trance, whereas you don't have much in the way of vocals for, say, hard dance.

Posted by jwear2004 on Mar-14-2004 23:39:

I don't mind playing vocal records, I just don't like to rely on them. For me, it's all about mixing it up.

Posted by Vero on Mar-15-2004 01:23:

i love vocal tracks, but i never play them back to back. i usually drop at least 2 non-vocals in between.

Posted by DannyO on Mar-15-2004 01:49:

Good replies people, its good to find out what different DJs think, I do love some vocal tracks, but I make sure that I only mix 1 in 8 or so, I kinda prefer the sample vocal tracks though, theres just something about them, but yea, it does all depend on the crowd and your own style, one of my favourite vocal tracks at the moment would have to be Agnelli & Nelson - Holding Onto Nothing, that is one track that the vocals make it amazing.

Posted by rafale on Mar-16-2004 12:12:

I drop on average 1 or 2 vocal tracks per hour, and they have to be extremely meaningful... like just before a climax, or as a finale.

Wouldnt do vocal after vocal after vocal tho,.. the keys of vocals sometimes clash and makes the mix sound wrong. and well, I guess.. its kinda cheesey

Posted by DJ Kibon on Mar-16-2004 20:26:

I feel kind of obligated to add another post on this topic.

I really think that vocals are a huge element of euphoric, epic trance, which is a big part of what I spin. That doesn't mean that every single track needs to include vocals, and I personally really enjoy a good melodic trance track.

That said, I think it's much more common to play a large number of vocal tracks when spinning trance than with any other genre.

Posted by DjSimonB on Mar-16-2004 23:02:

quote:
Originally posted by Spang
Depends on the track. Just because it has vocals doesnt make it cheesy. Some vocals make the track more than it is.

I would never mix vocal track after vocal track because each track should be like a story of sorts and each track tells a different story in its vocals. If anything i might do vocal track, instrumental then back to vocals, but i also try to keep it down to about 3 per 10 tracks at most.

Me too.

Posted by Allied Nations on Mar-17-2004 01:05:

i like to keep vocal tracks as tresaures. not overuse them. the crowds always die, and its good to keep them waiting, waiting for the one or 2 deserving vocal tracks that make it into your set

Posted by D Dubya on Mar-17-2004 02:26:

Vocal tracks are a good thing, but they can definitely become overused in a set. Also, the short lead in and out times that are typical in a lot of true vocal tracks can really end up making the mix sound choppy. I am going to be making (or attempting to make a good sounding) mix of pure vocals. I have had so many girls ask for something they can blare in their cars that they can sing to. Every girl I know loves trance and electronic as long as it has vocals in it. Once they hear all instrumentals, they get bored. So, I figured I would appeal to the requests....

Posted by xKaoSx on Mar-17-2004 13:59:

I like to start off a set with the first or 2ng song with a nice mellow vocal track then in the middle do a nice haunting or very serious vocal track then at the end do a very uplifting vocal track.

Good for building your set and for turning your set into a different direction a bit.